Tooth-brush.



J. E. HAMILTON. TOOTH BRUSH. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1913.

1,1 11,019 Patented Sept.22,1914.

FIE- I Fr 31 E FE E um/whom UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. HAMILTON, or smirna'ou, PENNSYLVANIA. p

TOOTH-amuse.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Smithton, in the county of Westmoreland, State ofPennsylvania, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements inTooth-Brushes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the arttowhich it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relatesto new and useful improvements in tooth brushesand particularly that classp'ro'vided with hingedhandle portions.

The object of the present invention resides in the provision of a toothbrush having a hinged handle portion in the shape of a shield adapted toswing to cover the bris tles of the head of the brush and provided withmeans for locking the handle portion and head portion against relativepivotal movement when they are in open position.

The invention further comprises the pro,- vision of such locking meansas are easily manipulated and which are so constructed that they aredurable and eflicient in use and permit of ready and economical manufaoture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novelcombination, formation and arrangement of parts to be more fullyhereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings andparticularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

' Reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein similarcharacters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the brush, Fig. 2 is a sectional view onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 ofFig. 2, and Fig. i is a sectional view on the line H of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the handle portion ofthe toothbrush is shown as comprising an open cas- 111 a wa lls. To oneof the end walls 6 is pivoted a head portion 7 carrying the bristles 8,said pivotal connection being effected by hinges 9 having their wingssecured to the bristle face of the head portion and to the adjacent partof the end wall so that the head portion may swing inwardly to have itsbristles Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed au ustav,1913.

comprising sides, a bottom and end Patented Sept. '22, 1914.Se1'ia1No.787,018. j a

To provide means for locking the handle and head portion in openposition, the end 6 of the handle is thickened and a shaft 10 isslidablyand rotatably mounted in a bore 11 thereinwhich alinement withcross section in the head portion of the brush when the brush is in openposition. The shaft is provided at one end withlateral e):- tensions 13forming a head slidable in the opening 12 and the opening 12 is enlargedat 1 1. at its inner end, so that the shaft can be inserted in said endand have its head portion disposed in the enlargement 14 of the openingso that the shaft may be given a quarter turn to dispose thelongitudinal axis of its head at right angles to the longitudinal crosssectional axis of the opening to thus lock the parts in open position.

To facilitate turning the shaft the same is provided at its end withinthe casing with a laterally extending handle 15 pivoted thereto so thatwhen the shaft is drawn wholly out of the opening 12, the handle can beswung to lie against the end wall 6 and thus retain the major portion ofthe shaft within the casing, the head 13 of the shaft resting in acutaway portion 16 in the end wall. The opening 12 is closed when theshaft is withdrawn by a plunger 17 actuated by the spring 18. Theplunger is slidable in the opening 12 and the opening and plunger aresomewhat larger than the head portion 18 of the shaft so that theplunger ma abut against a ring 19 at the mouth of the opening 12 toeffectively close said opening, when the head portion 13 is passedthrough the ring. To prevent the shaft from passing outwardly throughthe opening 11 the inner end thereof is provided with an en largement20.

From the foregoing it is observed that a very simple structure has beenprovided which will effectively hold the parts of the tooth brush inopen position, and which, when the tooth brush is folded presents noobstructions and ofiers no recess for dirt or other matter to lodge in.

It will be understood that various minor changes and modifications maybe made within the scope of the appended claims and head portion, ahandle casing hinged there to, alining openings in the abutting ends ofthe casing; and head portion, a shaft passed through said openingsandsaid shaft provided with means operative upon rotation thereof forlocking the handle and head against relativemovement.

2, A folding tooth brush comprising a headportion, a handle easinghinged thereto, and adapted to abut thereagainst, the abutting end ofthe casing being provided with a bore and the adj a ce'nt end of thehead being provided'with an opening having an oblong cross section andenlarged adjacent its inner end, a shaft mounted in thebore and having ahead slidable in the opening and ladapted upon rotation when at its indn h ner limit of movement in the opening to seat in the enlargedportion.-

3. A folding tooth brush comprising a head portion, a handle casinghinged thereto *"and adapted to abut thereagainst, the

abutting ends of the casing and head being provided With alining bores,a shaft mountbore of the casing and adapted to enter the bore of thehead and be rotated to lock the head. and easing against relativemovement, a spring-pressed plunger in the bore of the head and a handlepivoted to the end of the shaft Within the casing, as and for. thepurpose described.

In test mony whereof, I afiii; my.v signature, in the presence of; twowitnesses.

JOHN E. HAMILTON. Witnesses l i "GEoReE F. Grouse,

LLS; AsPEY,

qopi es,of;this patentmay be obtained, for five cents eaeh, byaddressing the f cpmm issigner oillatents a Wash1ng'ton,D. G.

